By HAJARA LEMAN

Dr. Sulaiman Mohammed, the Principal Medical Officer (PMO) in charge of the Snakebites Research and Treatment Centre, Kaltungo, Gombe State, has warned snakebite patients to embrace orthodox treatment.

Mohammed advised victims of the snakebite to desist from using traditional medicine, instead of reporting to the hospital.

Fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaltungo on Monday, he said even the herbalists know that herbs do not work.

According to him, the herbalists were just out to exploit people by working on their psychology, because they are easily accessible.

“We had a case here, a child of an herbalist was bitten by snake, the herbalist brought the boy to this hospital.

“In the cause of discussion the child told us that his father also give herbs for snakebites cure.

“The herbalist gives cure to people yet he brought his child to the hospital because he knew that the herbs he gives to people do not work,” Mohammed said.

He said it was easier to treat patients that were bitten by snake and come to the hospital immediately than those who stayed at home for some time.

“Those that come to the hospital immediately take only one or two vial of the anti-snake venom compared to those that come late.

“If a person who was bitten by a snake, especially the carpet viper, and decides to stay at home for some days before coming to the hospital, blood will be coming out in all the opening in his body.

“If he comes late, beside the anti-snake venom he will definitely need blood and the cost of taking care of such patients will be much,” the PMO said.

He said they had a patient whom they gave five vials of anti-snake venom before recuperating, if not because the center had enough in stock it would had been difficult for her because she would have spent up to N200,000 to get cured.

“Had it been she came to the hospital that very day she wouldn’t have taken that much.

“A vial of anti-snake venom now goes for N40, 000. It is something not everybody will be able to buy considering the nature of the victims; they are mostly peasant farmers.”

He attributed the increase in cases of snakebites to lack of precautions by farmers, saying “that’s why every year you see the same patients who have been bitten repeatedly”.

Mohammed said they have been sensitizing the farmers on the need to take precautions by wearing rain boots while in the farm,” but the complaint is always the same; rain boots are heavy thereby slowing their pace of work on the fields.

“But if you look at the cost of treating snakebites I rather use my rain boot than to be bitten by snake, once you cover the area they mostly attack, they will only strike but won’t get into the skin,” he explained.

Mrs. Orpha Ishaya from Kalmai village in Billiri Local Government Area of the state, told NAN that she was bitten by a snake and she spent six days at home receiving treatment from the herbalist.

“I was bitten by snake and I stayed at home for good six days taking herbs.

“My relations brought me to the hospital three days ago, even though I have started recuperating but the doctor told me that I still need blood in spite the two pints earlier given to me,” she said.

Malam Aminu Abubakar from Abujabula in Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe state, also said he was not taken to the hospital immediately until his condition started deteriorating before his relations brought him.

A 12-year-old Mida Ayuba from Adamawa also told NAN that she stayed at home for four days taking traditional treatment, but there was no improvement and her condition became critical, before her parents brought her to the hospital and she is now responding to treatment. (NAN)

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